The Casual Approach

One of the main reasons I dove into the Carp on the Fly deal was that in theory, I could stay closer to home. With the impending birth of my daughter (and the idea of a second kid buried in our heads somewhere) staying local and still satisfying that fishing itch made a lot of sense. Little did I know that the "local" aspect of flyfishing for carp would turn out to be the least important. instead, I fell in love with the hunt, the stalk, the visuals but possibly most of all the casual manner of flyfishing for carp. I don't mean to say that I am not my normally abnormally intensive self when stalking fish, but the entire experience can be very casual and relaxed. When I hit the water, I go light...a small pack with some flies, scale, net and camera...a rod and reel. Basically, I go for a walk in or near the river and see what I see. I cast when I like the situation. When I don't...I keep walking. I rarely feel hurried or pressured, and most of the time I am content to simply keep moving, knowing that finding what I am looking for is primarily a matter of walking and watching. There is a lot of joy in movement. There is peace in motion, and when the time and space come together you are met with the thrill of the moment. Carp fishing at it's best is a rare combination of serenity and chaos.